Call for Participation

 ‘Teaching and Researching International Law in Asia’ Conference
21 - 22 May 2026
National University of Singapore
(‘TRILA Singapore Conference 2026’)

The TRILA Project

Over the last eight (8) years since its inception in 2018, the ‘Teaching and Researching International Law in Asia’ or ‘TRILA’ Programme at the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore, has grown to be more than just a project. It has become a community and continues a tradition. It is now a long-standing forum dedicated to advancing thoughtful, innovative, and context-sensitive approaches to the teaching, studying, and researching of international law in the Asia-Pacific region. TRILA has provided a space for educators and scholars to reflect critically on how international law is taught, researched, and understood in diverse institutional, cultural, and political settings.

We build on the legacy of earlier TRILA conferences, specifically the landmark meetings held in Singapore in 1964, 2001, and 2018. In the 1964 roundtable discussions, in particular, prominent Asian scholars at that time already recognised the need to strengthen the competence of international lawyers in Asia given the increasing role that Asia, as a region, is playing in the international community. The 2018 TRILA Singapore Conference, which followed the footsteps of the 2001 conference, explored in depth the common challenges for international law teachers and researchers and formulated a basic programme of further action and activities to assist Asian scholars, particularly the junior scholars, in their teaching and research.

This year, 2026, we aim to bring together once again the TRILA community to foster candid and collegial dialogue among scholars, teachers, students, and practitioners from across Asia and beyond. We seek to take stock of the developments over the last eight (8) years while responding to emerging challenges and opportunities facing international law today. These include rapid geopolitical shifts, technological change, climate and environmental crises, evolving forms of economic governance, and renewed debates over the legitimacy, relevance, and future of international law. Against this backdrop, we hope to encourage reflections on pedagogical practices, curriculum design, research agendas, and institutional constraints, with particular attention to perspectives and experiences rooted in the Asian region. Through these discussions, we hope to continue what we have built over the past years, that is, to identify constructive pathways for collaboration, capacity-building, and innovation in teaching and research.

General Information on the Conference

TRILA Singapore Conference will be held from 21 to 22 May 2026 at the National University of Singapore, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium, Education Resource Centre. The Conference will feature a mix of panels, roundtable discussions, and interactive sessions, designed to promote both focused engagement and broad participation among attendees.

The Conference will explore a wide range of themes and issues, including but not limited to:

• the relevance and role of international law in legal education and legal practice
• strategies for making international law engaging, critical, and accessible to students
• the relationship between international law and domestic legal systems
• the place of international law within the law school curriculum
• curriculum design, including core content and the integration of emerging and non-traditional fields (such as artificial intelligence, climate change, investment, corporate responsibility, etc.)
• the purposes of teaching international law in an era of globalization, fragmentation, and contestation
• teaching and research in institutions with limited resources
• pedagogical methods and materials appropriate to the Asia-Pacific context, including experiential learning, moot courts, and clinical approaches
  the history and theory of international law in Asia and their role in teaching and research
• teaching international law in local or non-English languages
• balancing the demands of teaching, research, and service
• recent trends and debates in international law scholarship
• the impact of digital technologies and online resources on teaching and research

How to Participate in the Conference 

International Law teachers, researchers, students (LLM or PhD level), practitioners (from the government and private sectors including NGOs and international organisations) from Asia and other regions of the world who are interested to participate in the Conference may apply through the registration form below.

Participation in this event is by invitation of selected applicants only. 

Seats are limited. Preference will be given to those who have been part of the TRILA community, including those who have previously attended the TRILA conferences, workshops, and other events.

Please take note of the key dates below.

Costs 

Participation in the Conference and Workshop are free (no registration fees).

Participants will be provided vouchers for lunch and snacks that can be used at NUS food courts.

Participants are, however, expected to take care of their other costs including air tickets and accommodation in Singapore.

The TRILA Team and CIL Events Team will provide relevant information, such as suggested affordable accommodations, guidelines on local transportation to and from the conference venue, and other administrative details.

Key Dates 

Applicants for participating in the Conference should take note of the following important dates: 

• 20 March 2026: Deadline for the submission of application to participate in the Conference.

• 1 April 2026: Successful applicants for the Conference will be informed via e-mail. Any applications after this date may be considered depending on the availability of seats. Results of late applications will be released on a rolling basis.

Inquiries

Should you have any questions, please send an email to the TRILA Team at ciltrila@gmail.com.